Speech #1020203327

The bottom line on the embargo is that while the poor people of Haiti are hurting. the aristocracy is uncomfortable at worst. These conditions set up a time bomb that could explode in political unrest at any moment. Third. is the administrations refusal to allow human rights monitoring organizations access to investigate asylum processing at Guantanamo. As cochairman of the Helsinki Commission. I believe such data is crucial to effectively monitor compliance with all international refugee standards. The administration cannot hide their practices and expect other countries to cooperate later in similar circumstances. Congress has attempted to resolve the Haitian crisis through legislation. On February 27. 1992. the House passed the Haitian protection bill which imposes a 6month moratorium on the forced repatriation of Haitians in United States custody outside the United States as of February 5. 1992. requires a study and report of the Haitian situation since last Septembers coup. and sets aside for Haitians 2.000 refugee slots out of a worldwide total of 132.000 already federally funded refugee admission slots for fiscal year 1992 that go through the normal INS process. On November 26. 1991. I introduced a bill that would grant temporary protected status [TPS] for Haitian refugees. TPS assures that Haitians in the United States or in United States custody are protected until democratic rule is restored in Haiti. Unfortunately. these bills have not been enacted to prevent the administration from repatriating the Haitian boat people. There is also legislation pending that will help to diminish the scar which the administration has inflicted upon our country.